Horticulture pots have long been provided for transport and the start of growth for plants of any number of varieties. Typically, small or seedling plants are started from seed within such pots so that the plants can be transported, displayed and sold to consumers. Plastic pots are common from which a gardener will remove the plant, its root ball and a quantity of potting soil comprising germination mix from the container just prior to transplanting within a prepared soil hole or depression. The removal or separation process can cause damage to the plants root system. Such plastic planting pots are often ganged together for easy transport of multiple plants. These plastic pots provide basic containment of the plant's root and potting soil and are not meant to be buried in the ground or to provide further purpose. Plastic pots can be easily formed in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be formed with integral features such as drainage openings, handling features, and connective portions for connecting ganged multiple pots.
An issue with the provision and usage of typical plastic pots for plant starting and transporting is that such plastic pots are discarded after plant transplant. In large scale growing operations, such as at commercial growing fields, seasonal planting of new plants can create a huge volume of discarded plastic pots. One example of such a seasonal operation is the coffee growing business. Such larger planting operations can require a significant effort in collection of the discarded pots for recycling or to be otherwise disposed of. If such effort is not provided, the pots are instead left as trash after transplanting, which can be unsightly and attract vermin.
Degradable pots have also been known for a long time, such as comprising a biological material like compressed peat moss. By known techniques, such pots can be formed from the compressed peat moss into the shape of a container. The frailness of the material itself does not, however, lend these pots to having many features that can be integrated with plastic pots. The pots can advantageously be deposited in the soil along with the plant roots so that no step of removing the plant roots from the container is needed. These peat pots biodegrade rather quickly and also have a nutritive effect. The decomposing biological material adds plant nutrients into the soil surrounding the plant roots during at least early grown after replanting of the plants.
More recently, other materials have been developed for seed planting and the transport and use of plant seedlings that are also capable of being buried into the ground with plant roots.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0272033 describes biodegradable germinating pods for seedlings. The body of the tubular pods consists of 20 to 70% cellulose, 5 to 20% calcium carbonate, 30 to 70% calcium sulfate, and micronutrients.
European Patent No. 0 716 804 discloses soil decomposing seedling pots wherein coconut shell powder is mixed into a biodegradable plastic made of carboxylic acid-based compounds such as an aliphatic acid or lactic acid. The pot is made by injection molding.